Top for vehicles and the like



May 13, 1930. F. K. LEWIS TOP FOR VEHICLES AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 3, 1922 INVENTOR. flea] /2 [zen 11s ATTORNEYJ' Patented May 13, 19730 FRED KLI EWIS; 0F Mirna-Monro body 111 ebntraiaistifiatidn fims'r'oadster type.

outrrigggr structure f'rb'm th'e' 1min bow in To the ac csmplishmem 6f the forbgbihg 0f the me'alnshe'reifiaffef fu l ly ies'c'lfiibd zt-fid pgflticularly pointedbfit in the swim; the a'minexedc drawing and this following 'dsfiptionfstti ng forth in detail-certain filelianism emb'ddyilig the invent-io such disclosed means constituting, howeve'rybut One 0f Various' hiechahidal forms in Whihf th'e prinmain bow is preferably in line with, or just above, the side edge of the cover, so as to be hidden by the latter, and the joint 9 between said arm and the outrigger bow is a rule or look joint disposed so as to prevent further bending of the arm in question. when extended in horizontal fashion, as in open condition of the top illustrated in Fig. 1.

Pivotally attached to the arm 8 are two supplemental bows 10 and 11,'whose points of' pivotal attachment are sospaced, and whose angular positions in the open condition of the top are so adjusted, by means presently to be described,:as to support the top covering 1 at suitably spaced intervals between main bow 2 and outrigger bow 7. The rearmost supplemental bow 11 is provided with an extension or short arm 12 that.

is connected, through the medium of a link 13, with the main bow 2 at a point somewhat below the point of attachment of the side arm 8 to said main bow. A stop 14 on swing arm 8, just forwardly of the point of pivotal attachmentof said supplemental bow 11, en

relation with said main bow.

Operative connections are in turn provided between said supplemental bow 11 and the forward supplemental bow 10 as well as with the outrigger bow 7. In the constructional form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, such c0n-- nections take the form of a long link l5, one end of which is pivotally attached to. such first named supplemental bow 11 and the other to said outrigger bow at a point beyond the joint 9 between said bow and swing arm 8. The'forward supplemental-bow 10 is in turn connected with said long link through the medium of a separate short link 16'that lies alongside of said bow-in the open or extended condition of the top, said'short link being'pivotally attached at one end to said bow and at the other end tothe link 15. The

result of the foregoing construction is that when'joint 9 isbroken, the joint between extension 12 and link 13 will be simultaneously against the main bow, is indicated in diagrammatic outline in Fig. 1.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 3, the first modification consists in the substitution of a stop 17 on the joint between extension 12 and link 13, in place of the stop 14 on the swing arm 8 wherewith supple mental bow 11 contacts in the open position of the top, as in the first described construction. It will be obvious that such stop 17 will constitute a lock joint that will function in exactly the same way as said previously described stop 14 and it will also be obvious that either form of stop may be employed interchangeablyin the top construction illustrated in Fig.1 or in the modified'form thus illustrated in Fig. 3. l i

The further modification in such last named figure consists in the doing away of the short link 16 whereby the forward supplemental bow 10 is operatively connected with the long link 15 and in'the provision of I a link 18 that is pivotally attached at one end to said forwardsupplemental bow and at the other end to the outrigger bow :at a point lying beyond the point of attachment of said long link 15 to said outrigger bow. The mode-of operation in the case of this modified construction of top will be in efiect the same as that in the first describedconstruction, the position of theseveral bows and links, composing the outrigger structure when folded back against the main bow, being diagrammaticallyindicated in dotted outline as in the case of Fig. 1.

Other modes of applying the principle of my'invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by the following claim or the equivalent of such stated means be employed. I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention r r In a top for vehicles and the like, thecombination of support means tending to underlie :the center of gravity of-the openedtop, and means includinga main bow inclining rearwardly from the verticalin the open position of said top, a two-part articulated auxiliary bow having its rear portionpivotally attached to said main bow and adapted to project substantially horizontally therefrom in the open position of the top; a supplemental bow pivotally attached to the rear portion of such auxiliary bow andhaving an extension, said supplemental bow inclining forwardly in such open top. position; a link adapted to extend out of alignment with such extension and connect it to said main bow below the point ofattachment of said auxiliary bow thereto; means. adapted to prevent further bending of the joint between V such extension and said link in the open position of the top; a second supplemental bow pivotally attached to the rear portion of said FRED K. LEWIS. 

